Commercial Drive – East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC – “Weight Loss Drug Pulled Off the Market”

This news item that came out just last week revolves around a weight loss drug called, Meridia.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US approved Meridia in November 1997 for weight loss and maintenance of weight loss in obese people, and in overweight people with other risks for heart disease. At the time, the FDA had concerns about the potential harmful effects of Meridia because it was known to increase both heart rate and blood pressure in some patients. However, the beneficial effects of weight loss, especially for the obese, was considered to be more important.

Unfortunately, after years of continuing trials and monitoring in the general population, the FDA has now ruled the potential harm to people is too dangerous for continued approval. It was revealed that patients taking Meridia were 16% more likely to suffer a heart attack, stroke or death compared to people taking a placebo.

Late last week, Health Canada reported that Abbott Laboratories, makers of Meridia, would voluntary take it off the market in this country as well.

“Physicians are advised to stop prescribing Meridia to their patients, pharmacists are advised to stop dispensing Meridia, and patients are advised to stop taking this drug and dispose of any remaining product,” said Dr. John Jenkins, director of the office of new drugs in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at a news conference.

I thought this story was particularly poignant because it underscores the need for people to become educated and informed about their own health. Let me say that through my years of experience and countless patients I see, I have always promoted a healthy lifestyle including, proper diet, exercise and healthy habits.

But I believe it is common sense that when it comes to health and wellness, it will never come in the form of a pill. I think it is natural to look for an ‘easy’ option. With society the way it is, who wouldn’t want more for less? But with anything worth having, health and achieving a healthy weight takes time and a lot of effort.

I promise you it’s not that hard. Chances are, you are already practicing healthy habits. Brushing your teeth everyday and covering your mouth when coughing are just two common examples of things people do regularly to maintain health. This is naturally where Chiropractic comes in.

I am not completely opposed to resorting to over the counter pain relievers like Advil or Tylenol from time to time. But I would like people to know that there are natural options out there to help with symptom relief and achieve health.

If you’re wondering how Chiropractic could benefit you and you’re by the Commercial Drive neighborhood in East Vancouver, come drop by or contact Dr. Chan here;COMMERCIAL DRIVE – EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN

Commercial Drive – East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC – “Knee Alignment Linked to Osteoarthritis”

This study, funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, was released online before being published in an upcoming print issue of the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

The study suggested that people who’s knees (Knee caps) point outwards may be at an increased risk of developing Osteoarthritis in the knees later on.

This knee position where the knees point outwards creates a relatively large space between the knees while the ankles are closer together. It resembles a condition commonly referred to as “bow-leggedness” but it’s not as extreme. In anatomical terms, this position of the knees is referred to as the varus alignment.

The study looked at 2713 volunteers between the ages of 50-79 who had arthritis or who were at an increased risk of developing arthritis due to prior trauma or being overweight. As an aside; Osteoathritis is a painful, sometimes disabling condition where the cartilage at the ends of bones, meant to cushion joints, wears down over time. Often associated with ‘wear and tear’, Osteoarthritis will commonly affect major weight bearing joints like the ankles, knees and hips.

Volunteers with the outward facing knees were nearly 1.5 times more likely to develop osteoarthritis than those with a straight-legged stance. There was no increased risk for people with inner-facing knees (valgus alignment), the investigators found.

According to Dr. Leena Sharma of Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, about 70 percent of the force transmitted to a healthy knee while walking is focused on the inside of the knee. Therefore, when the knee faces outward, as in the varus alignment, there is even greater stress on the inside of the knee, which may increase the risk of osteoarthritis.

I hope this study helps people realize that undue stress of improper alignment in the joints can be harmful to your overall health in the short term and long term.
Now it would not be hard to translate the findings of this study that focused on the knees to other joints in the body like your pelvis or spine. Imagine if the pain and discomfort you are feeling was simply due to unnecessary pressure/strain on your joints due to a slight misalignment? These issues is what Chiropractor specialize in. Finding and treating these joint issues in order to relieve strain and pain. Allowing our patients to return to a healthier, active lifestyle.

Looking for a Chiropractor in the Commercial Drive neighborhood of East Vancouver? Visit the site of YOUR COMMERCIAL DRIVE – EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN DC HERE!!!

Commercial Drive – East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC – “Who’s the ‘Typical’ Chiropractic Patient?”

When I look at my practice, it seems to me that I can identify a ‘typical’ Chiropractic patient. Now of course it wouldn’t be fair to generalize but I do believe there is a pattern. Following up on this, it seems that I’m not the only one. Stumbling across some research, it seems that others have also asked this very question and this is some of the tid-bits they came up with.

The ‘Typical’ Chiropractic patient is;

- Female
- Between the ages of 30-49
- Well educated, with chances being good of a post-secondary education.
- Often has researched her health-care options
- Top three health related searches are for;
a) Disease and Conditions (60%)
b) Medical Treatments and procedures (47%)
c) Vitamins, minerals and supplements (44%)

Now adding to that, I’d like to share some personal insights on the general trends I see in my practice.

Most of my patients are in seek of pain/symptom relief (Over 90%). I do have some patients that see me without any complaints. But they realize the benefits of Chiropractic and are looking to maintain their health and vitality. (A few of these patients have described it to me like getting a ‘tune-up’ for their bodies)

I would estimate that about 70% of my patients are at least mildly active. Meaning they do get out to participate in activities like walking, biking and regular exercise. This last trend is very important to me because I prescribe stretches and exercise for 100% of my patients!

I like to use this analogy a lot because it’s so simple and implicit that there’s little ambiguity here. I often ask my patients if they brush their teeth? Almost everyone says yes, many saying twice a day. Then I proceed to ask them why? The natural response is, “Well, it’s good for me and it prevents cavities and other problems from occurring”. Exactly correct!!

However consider this, you could conceivably go for days without eating and using your teeth. But, you could not go for days without using your muscles, joints and spine. So, the question is, “Why do most people take better care of their teeth, than they do their bodies?”

Encouraging a healthy lifestyle for all my patients is very important to me. Luckily for me, most of my patients understand the connection between healthy habits and a healthy body. This is paramount to me because most of my patients will not receive this kind of lifestyle advice from any of their health-care providers on a regular basis.

If you have questions regarding how Chiropractic could help you, CONTACT YOUR COMMERCIAL DRIVE – EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN DC HERE!!!

Commercial Drive – East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC – “Major Reason ‘Get Fit’ Resolutions Fail”

Well we are just starting the new month of February and if you are still adhering to your new years resolution to ‘get fit’, Congratulations!!

But as we all know, many new year’s resolutions to lose weight, exercise more and eat healthy, fall to the way-side right about now. Many of my patients who are interested in starting an exercise program ask for advice on how to avoid the common pitfalls. There are many out there who need to exercise and adopt a healthier lifestyle. Statistics from the US reveals that about 67% of the population is either overweight or obese. But more alarming is the number and rate of children who are becoming overweight and/or obese.

Surprisingly, it’s not that overweight people do not recognize the benefits of exercise. A survey of 1500 men and women conducted at the George Washington University Medical Center, found that overweight respondents were even bigger believers in the benefits of exercise than their ‘normal weight’ counterparts.

So ‘what’s the problem?’ you may ask. New insights are suggesting, that the key may lie in your self-image and more specifically, your self-consciousness.

Researchers found that over-weight people found the prospects of exercising around people who were fit was very unappealing. The mere idea of huffing and puffing and sweating around healthier figures, literally turned them off exercise! This kind of self-consciousness understandably affects women more than men. Women were more likely to feel intimidated by the exercise equipment, feel more pressure to abide by fashion standards and feel pressure by other healthclub goers.

“Overweight people have received the message from their physicians and all the publicity about the importance of exercise,” said study author Wayne Miller, a professor of exercise science at George Washington University Medical Center. “Most of the negativism or barriers that are associated with not participating in exercise are emotional, and there are differences between men and women.”

Another reason many people fail to maintain an exercise or healthy lifestyle program is they often bite off more than they can chew. Many people try a workout that they just don’t like, or they do too much.

In my practice I’m a big proponent of exercise for all my patients, BUT I always advise on taking it slow. Especially if the patient is new to exercise. Try small things first and go from there. Try taking the stairs, maybe more fruit here and there. You get the picture. Losing weight and getting healthy will take time, honestly. If you come to terms with that and set realistic, achievable goals, there’s no reason why a slimmer, healthier you can’t be realized!

If you’re by the Commercial Drive neighbourhood in East Vancouver, contact me here at COMMERCIAL DRIVE – EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR!!!